Advocates argue that 3D is totally the future, it just needs to be a bit more convenient and glasses-free—you’ll see! Unfortunately for these advocates, Toshiba’s latest numbers are not helping the cause, at least in the near-term.
Toshiba, if you’ll recall, was the first major manufacturer to sell a glasses-free set to consumers back in December. It sold less than half its 1,000 unit sales target in the first month on the market.
Now, it could be a size thing, as the two available sets were 20- and 12-inch models. Toshiba acknowledged this, and plans larger sets for the future (mammoth 56- and 65-inch sets were showcased at CES).
Even Sony’s glasses-enabled 3D offerings have trailed internal sales estimates, reports Bloomberg. Samsung, the other big player in the room, said last month that current 3DTV tech was “relatively weak,” meaning 3D’s current woes could also be related to making the technology available to consumers too soon.
All that said, the uncertainty remains. Could Ebert have been wrong about video game art, but right about 3D being a queasy dead-end? [Bloomberg]
Richard
Monday, February 7, 2011 at 10:20 AMCONTENT CONTENT CONTENT
If you cant buy avatar in 3d (the biggest 3d film ever) without buying a new panasonic TV, then how do they expect this to take off. Few of the big 3d films (Toy story, shrek etc) are available in 3d.
The whole thing is a joke. 3d is great (legends of the guardians is magnificent) but until they start putting out content the thing is dead in the water
Kev
Monday, February 7, 2011 at 1:48 PMTHey should leave 3D for the home alone for now. Yes we’ve proven that it’s possible but where’s the incentive to trudge to the cinema if I can do it at home. Let the cinemas have a run with it for a few years. Tech will be way cheaper by then too.
Tim Loader
Monday, February 7, 2011 at 10:12 PM3d is a big waste of time, it adds nothing to the experience, and decreases the picture quality, makes the picture look ‘fake’, and will probably do permanent damage to your eyes if you watch it regularly.
Its a gimmick designed to make money to a market that was loosing traction to piracy, and treating their paying customers like thieves.
Once lots of movies become 3D, are we even going to notice, or care?
Jay
Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at 8:30 AM3D is dead. there r other ways companies can ‘improve’ their products.